Another day, another iPad Mini leak, and the leaks are revealing more and more about Apple’s long-awaited miniature tablet. This time we’ve got pictures of what looks to be the tablet’s casing, and it doesn’t look as we’d expected.
Up until now we’ve been expecting the iPad Mini to be, well, exactly that – a shrunken down, miniature version of the iPad. However, these new pictures show that Apple is about to break design tradition and make the iPad Mini look more like the iPhone 5.
Apple-centric website UkranianiPhone has shared a set of photos which contain various parts said to make up the as yet unannounced iPad Mini. The pictures depict the shell of the black iPad Mini as well as the front panel in white, and both give away various features, provided they’re legit.
The black back panel pictured has given us quite a surprise, as it shows that the iPad Mini will be coloured on the front and back completely. Like the iPhone 5, the back panel appears to be coloured in the same slate finish, although there’s no glass being used here. The iPad name and Apple symbol are also finished in the subtle black rather than Apple’s shiny silver.
Other pictures show a look inside the iPad Mini’s casing, without any of the circuitry and components. From this we can see a Nano SIM card slot, which tells us that both 3G and Wi-Fi versions will be available, as with the full-sized iPad. The new smaller Lightning dock connection is also present, which has been a mainstay in the iPad Mini rumour mill for some time.
It looks like the iPad Mini will come in both black and white, as depicted by the glossy white front panel amongst the set of pictures. There are not really any surprises here, with a centralised hole for the front-facing FaceTime camera and the regular home button. The bezel that surrounds the screen is pretty slim on the edges however, which should look pretty great once the screen is in there.
Apple is expected to send out invites for a media event on October 10th, with the official unveiling rumoured to take place a week later on October 17th.
Let us know your thoughts on our comments below or via our @Gadget_Helpline Twitter page or Official Facebook group.
Via: 9to5mac